Inpainting

The conservators inpainted areas of paint loss with resin-based paints chosen both for their stability and for their ability to be removed safely. The goal of inpainting is to reintegrate a damage into the overall composition so that the viewer’s eye is not distracted.

The conservators inpainted only in areas of loss, not in places where the original paint still existed and the painting was done on top of an isolating layer of varnish. All inpainting was documented photographically.

Gianfranco Pocobene inpainting Messianic Era to compensate for an area of loss on the central
figure (2003 photo)